What She Loved, She May Not Love So Much Anymore…
I used to feel bad but I am teaching myself that I don’t need to.
I used to think why is she asking to stopped being something she previously wanted to do or why isn’t she so into that thing that she loved so much before?
But as I think about it, I realize that like other kids who don’t have special needs, that she is just trying things out. Seeing how it feels, seeing what she likes , seeing where they fit in her life , and that’s okay.
We all do this and better put, we all GET the chance to do this, so why not our kids?
Maybe the activity requires too much motor planning. Maybe it requires too much thinking, but the activity can be tried out.
And it’s okay if it isn’t something that stays the biggest piece of her life even if it looked like it was going to be.
I’m learning as she grows older to see things as taking or being part of her life, not the biggest part, not the largest part, not the overwhelming part, but just part of her life.
For example; Her artwork was such a big part during covid. It’s now something she likes to do. Not as much as she used to do prior, but she still likes to paint and create things. And that is okay.
She is still creating and learning.
It is a part of her life.
And that like all of us, her interests change.
As we grow our life changes.
That’s important to remember and I am saying this to me as well: We need to remember that our children are so very similar to everyone else in many ways, and this is one of them.
So maybe they LOVED something before but only LIKE it now, that is ok.
I can remember many people who were certain that they were going to get their degree in one thing but ended up getting one in an entirely different field… and they had the choice to change their path to something that was a better fit.
Our kids need that choice as well.
And even though Elizabeth is 26, I am still learning and growing right beside her.
I wish everyone a peaceful month.
Michele Gianetti.